Braiding-machine.



E. F. PARKS & S. W. WARDWELL. BRAIDING MACHINE. APP I.I CATION I'ILEDmm, 1907.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

B. F. PARKS & S. W. WARDWELL;

BRAIDING MACHINE. APPLICATION 311.21) mm. 2, 1901.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909;

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3Q I WITINIESSES I ATTOlF/YEKS EDWARD F. PARKS ANDSIB/DON W. WARDWELL,

E PROVIDENCE, EHOBE ISLAND.

BRAIDINGr-Mfi-kCHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1997.

V Patented Nov. 2, 190%. fierial 310. 386,813.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, EDWARD F. PARKS and SIMON WARDWELL, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence andState of lthode lsland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Braiding-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to braiding machines and particularly to thatclass of machines shown and described in our United States Patent No.851204;, issued April 23, 1907, and in our pending application, SerialNo. 250641, filed Jan. 3, 1907. In this character of machine the yarnsfrom the lower supplies are caused to travel a sinuous course around theupper supplies, and our improvement relates to the means for guiding andeasing the yarns over or under the carriers which support the uppersupplies.

The invention is fully set forth in the following specification,illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of our braiding machine showing therelation of the yarns to the carriers; Fig. 2, a detail elevation, partsectional on the line ar w, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicatedby the arrow .2; Fig. 3, another plan view showing the carriers slightlyadvanced from the position shown in Fig. 1; Figs. {i and 5, diagrammaticviews showing the coaction of the yarn guides with the edges of thecarriers. I

A+A, etc., represent the upper yarn supplies which are supported andcarried by the carriers 2, the latter disposed in pockets in the edge ofthe head or driving plate 3, from 'which they are driven. The drivingplate rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow a, carrying withit the carriers 2 which travel or slide on the sectional rail or track4:. The track ported on a driving which also carries the head 5-see Fig.2--

lower, supplies Bl$,

etc., and rotates in the opposite direction to that of theplate 3, row

Between the carriers 2 and the driving plate 2-; are slits b for thepassage of the yarns bb, etc. from the lower supplies, and the carriersare connectedto the driving plate 3 by means of oscillating drivers Therein shown only in Fig. 2, preferably arranged as described in ourpatent and pending application abovereferred to. These as indicated bythe aryarns slits 6 on the inside of the carriers.

the supplies sections 484; etc., are supdrivers engage the carriersfirst by one end and then by the other, to allow the passage of the yarnpast their driving points and, as described in" connection with ourother machine, switches 8 which automatically closeor'open the entrancesto the slits 6, thereby determining the path of travel of the lower,sinuating yarn.

As further explained in our previous patent, the yarns from the lowersupplies are led up to the braiding point from guides 14 which determinethe normal positionof the in relation to the carriers. These uidesprovide that the radially mean path of the yarns b shall, fall justwithin the points or nose ends 2 of the carriers 2, as shown by dottedline Fig. 2, so that the yarns 5 would normally pass To cause the yarnsto pass on the outside of the carriers, the switches from the drivingplate 3 to deflect the yarns 1) onto ,the outer edges of the carriers.

The carriers 2 are preferably of lenticular form, so that the yarns inbearing on their edges 9 and 9* are further deflected radially inward oroutward to pass them by the upper 1 supplies templates means forassisting this deflection of the yarns by the carriers, and consists ofdevices to act in conjunction with the edges of the carriers in wedgingthe yarns radially. inward or' outward.

For the sake of clearness, the yarns from A are not here shown, sincetheir arrangement does not affect the present invention.

Above each supply 15 is provided a guide 11 for the yarn b, whichrevolves with the the drivers are arranged to operate through the 8 areprojected outward A. The present invention con-' lower supplies andholds the yarn b to the points of the carriers while allowing radialmovement of the yarn under the influence of the carriers edges. In ourprevious machines referred to, these guides were shown and described ashaving straight, radially disposed slots in which the yarn played, butthe present invention comprises improvements in thetorm and arrangementof the slots in, the guides.

The guides 11 are preferably formed of wire, bent double to provide thetwo sides of the slot and, as now provided, the slot 12 takes a ii-shapeat a point approximately midway of its ends, forming a guide crotch l3and an opposed wedge formed abutment 15. The crotch 13 of the slot 12 isso pothe eye 14 fnormal position. The

- being essential .rierf -At 1) the gagement with the leading ends orpoints of the carriers 2. At 0 the slit 6 is shown open, and the yarn bis entering the slit and bearing on the inner edge of the carswitch 8 isshown closing the entrance to the slit 6 and deflecting the 7 yarn Z2onto the outer edge of the carrier 2.

As the yarn 6 leaves the rear end of the carrier around which it hasjust passed, the yarn will be drawing across the crotch 13 of the guide11, but as the yarn meets the deflecting edge of the carrier, it israised out of the crotch and forced over onto the opposite side of theslot 12. That is, the yarn b will be deflected from the crotch 13 to rthe point 15. Fig. 1 represents the yarns as Just being raised out ofthe crotches in the guides 11: in one case, at 0, through the deflectionof the yarn by the inner edge, of the carrier, and in the other, at D,by the combined deflection of the outer edge of the carrier and theswitch 8.

Fig. 3 shows the supplies in such relation that the yarns b are advancedpart way around the edges of the carriers 2, and in this position thepurpose of the V form of the guides 11 is made apparent. At C, it willbe observed that the yarn b is deflected by the carrierover on to theinclinedface 16 of the guide 11, and it is obvious that this inclinewill have a wedging influence on the tensioned yarn, tending to carry itradially inward and thus assisting its passage over the arched edge 9 ofthe carrier 2, (see Fig. 4:). At D, the yarn b is shown deflected ontothe incline 17 of the guide 11', the tendency of which is to force theyarn radially outward to ease its passage over the outer edge 9 of thecarrier 2, (see Fig. 5).

While the guide 11 is shown as preferably made from wire, its substanceand pre cise form, arrangement and mode of appli cation are not limited.(Ether expcdients for performing the same function readily sug gestthemselves the trained ineehan The guide 11 i be in.- f-s'iaped from thas been found yarns strike the more abrupt rise on -thc edge of thecarrier near the latters point. After the yarn has been eased over thehard part of this edge, it requires no further assistance and simplyplays in the straight portion of the slot.

In brief recapitulation: The yarns 6 lead from the supplies B throughthe guide-eyes 1 1 and thence up through the crothes 13 of the guides 11to the braiding point where they are gathered together with the yarnsfrom the upper supplies to form the fabric. The yarns 0, with theirsupplies, are revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow yg andat certain intervals meet the points of the carriers 2 which revolve inthe opposite direction, indicated by the arrow a. The yarns are engagedby the inner edges of the carriers or deflected onto the alternately, oraccording to the character of the fabric, as before described, and suchengagement deflects them from the crotches 13, over to the oppositeedges of the slot 12. If a yarn is bearing on the inner edge 9 of thecarrier, it will be deflected to the inclined edge 16, and thisengagement or bearing on the guide 11 holds the yarn to the edge of thecarrier, at the same time wcdging or lifting it around the bulge in saidedge. When the yarn draws across the outer edge 9 of the carrier, it isdeflected to the incline 17 of the guide 11, and is thereby eased overthe outer bulge of the carriers edge.

The yarn b is given its extreme radial deflection at the center of thecarrier, and after passing this point, the deflecting tendency isrelieved and the yarn returns under its normal tension to its meanradial position, drawing through the crotch 13, being new properlydisposed to be acted upon by the point of the next succeeding carrier.

It will be realized that this invention shows important improvement, inthat it provides for a minimum resistance to the yarns in passing themaround the carriers and hence allows greater speed of operation of themachine with less breakage of the yarns and less chafing or abrasion,therefore tending to improve the product.

Having now described the arrangement and mode of operation of ourdevice, what we claim is:

1. In of braiding machine, the combination of two sets of yarn supplie"cariiers to carry one set of supplies, 11mins to pass the yarns from thesecono set of snn lics to eit er side of the carriers and. guides to actth on (he yarns outer edges plies, with lnticularly formed edges,

3. In a brai ing machine, the combination I of two sets of suppliesrevolving in opposite directions, carriers for one set ofsupdealternately carryin the fleeting means for yarns in position edgesand guides ing in the opposite direction from the carriers andcooperating with the lenticularly formed edges of the carriers indeflecting the yarns in their passage about the supplies on thecarriers.

4. In a braiding machine, the combination of two sets of suppliesrevolving in opposite directions, carriers .for one set of supplies, andguides revolving in the opposite direction from the carriers and formedwith V-shaped slots coacting with the carriers to guide the yarns aroundthe carriers in the manner and for the purpose specified.

5. In a braiding machine, the combination of revolving carriers carryingone set of yarn supplies, a second set of yarn supplies revolving in adirection opposite to that of the carriers means for deflecting theiryarns to different sides of the carriers, and guides revolving with thesecond set of supplies, each formed with a slot having reverselyinclined faces that coact with the carriers in passing said yarns aboutthe latter as describe 6. The combination with the revolving carriers ofa braiding machine and the oppositely revolving lower yarn supplies, ofguides for the lower supplies formed with radially disposed slots havingV-shaped portions arranged in the manner and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination in a braiding machine with a set of revolvingyarnsupplies and deflecting means for sinuating the course of the yarnsdrawn from said supplies, of

auxiliary guides revolving with'sald ,sup

plies, formed with V-shaped slots adapted to normally receive and directthe yarns to draw through the crotches of said slots and, by theirinclined faces, fleeting the yarns in passing carriers. I

8. The combination in a braiding machine with two members rotating inopposite directions and two sets of revolving yarn supplies. one setrevolving with each member, of means to sinuate the course of the yarnsthem by the from one set of supplies to pass them alternately overand-under those of the other set, and auxiliary deflecting guides havinga fixed relation to the yarns of one set to assist the sinuating meansin deflecting said yarns.

9. In a braiding machine, the combination to contact with di erent belowthe carriers revolva wedge-shaped to also aid in dewith two sets of yarnsupplies, carriers to carry one set of supplies and means to drive thecarriers, of means from the second set of supplies to either side of thesupplies of the first set, and guides to control, the yarns in relationto the carriers, said guides formed with crotches to regulate the normalposition of the yarns and 1nclined faces acting in conjunction with theto deflect the yarns carriers to deflect the yarns radially inward oroutward from their normal position.

10. A thread guide for a braiding machine formed with a crotch formaintaining a traveling thread in its radially mean path, and with awedge-shaped portion opposing said crotch to act with deflecting effecton the said thread.

11. In a braiding machine, the combination with two series of yarnsupplies and means for revolving the two series in opposite directions,of two different deflect-ing means revolving in opposite directions toeach other and arranged to coact to radially deflect the yarn from oneseries of supplies,

first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

12. In a braiding machine, the combination with'a carrier and threadguide having and abutment normally coact to cause a traveling yarn .topass radially inward by the carrier, of a switch to deflect thetraveling yarn from its radially mean path, so that it is en aged by theouter edge of the carrier an said wedge-shaped abutment, to passradially outward around the carrier.

13. In a braidin machine,the combination with a thread guide having acrotch to hold a traveling yarn to its radially mean position andan'opposed wedge-shaped portion, of a carrier to engage andwithdraw thetraveling yarn from said crotch of the guide, and force it intoengagement with the wedge-shaped ortion aforesaid, to coact therewith tode ect the yarn from its normal path of travel. i

14. In a braiding machine having traveling carriers and means forsupporting yarn supplies thereon, a second set of supplies supportedbelow the first, means for revolving the two sets in differentdirections, and

,means for ra ially deflecting the yarn of the second set alternatelyinside and outside the different carriers, and clined deflecting edgesea arranged to facilitate the radial movement of the yarn in thedirection in which it is first started.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signaturesin presence of twowitnesses.

EDYVARD F. PARKS. SIMON \V. WARDWELL. Witnesses:

CHAS. A. EDDY, ARTHUR I. HARVEY.

abutment, which carrier 4 uides with 111 x 5

